Kenya is set to deploy a battalion of soldiers to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as part of a regional military [11] response to advancing M23 rebels. Kenya will command the new East African force, which will include troops from Burundi, South Sudan and Uganda. A notable absentee from this intervention will be Rwanda: Congo accuses Kigali [13] of supporting M23, and tensions are soaring [14]. In the past weeks, M23 has dramatically [15] expanded the territory it controls, forcing UN peacekeepers to abandon [16] a strategic base at Rumangabo, and closing in on the key city of Goma. In a region with a history of foreign meddling—in which more than 120 rebel groups operate—the East African deployment is distrusted [21]. Both Burundi [18] and Uganda [19] already have troops inside Congo pursuing their own interests. It remains unclear how the new East African force will be funded; how it will coordinate with UN peacekeepers [12] (in which Kenya also has a contingent); and what its exit strategy will be. Some are urgently calling [22] for regional dialogue as the solution to Congo's instability, fearing the military option will only make matters worse.
From The New Humanitarian [23], Nov. 4
See our last report [24] on M23 and the war in eastern DRC.
